Linda Shelby
Linda Shelby is the ex-wife of Arthur Shelby Jr. and a former close ally of the Peaky Blinders. After Arthur begins experiencing mental illness, she begins looking to divorce him, eventually culminating in her attempting to kill him. She is an addict to coke. Character History Background Linda used to be a Quaker (a member of a religious Christian movement). She then helped Arthur with his sobriety in his life, among other things. Series 3 · 1924 Linda attends the wedding of Thomas Shelby and Grace Burgess, and helps Arthur with his best man speech for the wedding. She proves to have a fairly large influence on Arthur, a quality that Thomas has taken to disliking. She tries to get Arthur to stop 'work' at night for religious reasons, which Arthur does not fully oblige but is seen to compromise, for example after burning a pub for the Blighters he immediately goes home despite John's mockery of him. Furthering her insistence that Arthur's night work should end, she announces to him that she is pregnant. Series 4 · 1925-1926 Linda is among those who return home to Small Heath following the death of John and the threat the family faces from Luca Changretta. She becomes troubled, however and no longer believes in the Peaky way of doing things. She becomes a cocaine user and is seen openly using the substance during the fight between Bonnie and Goliath. During their time in Birmingham, Linda becomes Arthur's support when he begins to suffer from mental illnesses. She is often the only one able to ground him and stop his erratic behaviour. Series 5 · 1929 Things begin to go wrong in 1929 for Linda, she becomes more distant with Arthur and eventually begins to search for a way to divorce him. She consults Lizzie on the matter, who admits that London is the only place to find someone who will even consider divorcing a Shelby. Full of anger at Tommy and the way he is running Shelby Company Limited, she writes Arthur a letter explaining her feelings, however he ignores her, telling her to behave like a normal wife. Becoming distant with Arthur, Linda begins speaking with a recent widow. Arthur eventually finds out and slashes the man's face in anger. This upsets and angers Linda, who no longer believes Arthur worthy of saving and attempts to kill him. She is thwarted by Polly, however who shoots her in the arm. After the bullet is removed, her and Arthur part ways and she leaves the Shelby family for good. Relationships Arthur Shelby Jr. Linda and Arthur meet just after Arthur becomes dependent on drugs and alcohol, she helps turn his life around and is eventually invited into the Shelby family and becomes accustomed to the Peaky life. She advises Arthur on business related to Shelby Company Limited, but hopes that the business will eventually take a different turn. She returns with Arthur to Small Heath following John's death, but things are difficult for the pair, who both struggle with detachment from Peaky life. She eventually grows sick of Arthur and his anger, looking for a divorce, but is warned against it by Lizzie. She eventually tries to kill Arthur, but is unsuccessful and leaves him and the Shelby family behind. Quotes :"Keep his balls empty and his belly full." ---- :"It's not me that's doing the gambling. I'm just taking the bets." ---- :"May you Peaky Blinders all rot in fucking hell!" ---- :"I'm glad I didn't shoot you. It would have been a kindness." Appearances Image Gallery LindaShelby1.jpg|Linda Shelby in series 3 Linda.png|Linda Shelby in series 3 Ep3 1 Arthur Linda.jpg|Linda and her husband Arthur Betting shop Polly Linda Esme Lizzie.jpg|Polly Shelby, Linda Shelby, Esme Shelby and Lizzie Stark Episode 3 4 b.jpg|Linda, Esme, Lizzie and Polly Lindaseries4.jpg|Linda Shelby in series 4 Linda Shelby Billy Shelby.jpg|Linda Shelby and her son Billy Shelby Episode4_6b.jpg|Shelby lady; Ada, Polly and Linda Shelby|link=http://www.farfarawaysite.com/section/peaky/gallery4/gallery6/hires/20.jpg Ep4 6 Polly Lizzie Linda.jpg|Linda, her husband's aunt Polly Gray and Lizzie Stark|link=http://www.farfarawaysite.com/section/peaky/gallery4/gallery6/hires/23.jpg Category:Series 3 Characters Category:Status: Alive Category:Shelby Family Category:Series 4 Characters Category:Female Category:Series 5 Characters